A coepobation of penn



July 8 19240 W. H. M FALL cascx nb'rcmus DEVICE Filed Feb. 21. 1922 flnondo'l v (Mann,

Patented July 8, 1924.

PATNT WILLIAM H. Iv'JZCFA-LL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO, GLOBE TICKET COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

CI-IECK-NOTCHING DEVICE.

Application filed February 21, 1922. Serial No. 538,175.

To all. whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. MCFALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Check- Notching Devices, of which the following is a specification. v I

The present invention relates to improvements in check notehing devices and-more particularly to those of the class used in restaurants and similar establishments, for notching and thus marking the checks issued to purchasers to indicate the amount of the purchase or the amount the purchaser is to pay the cashier. The invention is applicable especially to combined check holding and notching devices of the class in which a base plate or other suitable support is provided having means for holding a pad or pack of checks on its forward side and the notching device is carried by the base plate or support in a position which enables each check detached from the pack to be conveniently notched.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved check notching" device which is 'so constructed and mounted relatively to. the base plate that the operations of correctly placing the check notching of the check may be performed I with ease and facility, to insure accuracy in notching the check at the appropriate point and to provide a device of this-kind, which will be durable and not likely to get out of order.

To these and other ends, the invention; cons sts in certain improvements and CO11'1b1- nations and arrangements of parts, all as will: be hereinafter more fully described, thefeatures of novelty being pointed out partic ularly in the claims at the end of the specificati'on.

In the accompanylng draW1ng:- .Figure l is a perspective view of a com 7 bined check holding and not'ching device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2jis an end elevation of the device as shown in Figure 1,- looking from the lefthand; sidethereof, and indicating the manner in which the check to be notched is positioned relatively to the notching device;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the devlce shown in Figures-1 and 2;

Figure 4: represents a section through the notching device taken on the line H of- Figure 3; r V

F igure 5 1s a detail sectional view showing 'thepivotal mounting and the retracting spring for the operative member of the notching device;

Figure'fi is aview of a portion of the check holding and notching device showing margins of the check are provided with amount indicating numerals or other characters to designate the price or other matter to be indicated or marked on thecheck by notching it. The notching device is preferabl'y combined with the plate or support which indevices ofthis class usually .hold a pad or pack ofchecks. on the forward side thereof. The preferredembodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing andwill be. hereinafter described in detail, but it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise construction shown, as equivalentconstructions are contemplated and these will be included within the scope of the claims. 1

' In the present instance, the check holding and notching device comprises a base plate or support 1, the upper or forward side of which is adapted to receive a pad or pack of checks designated 'X. One end of the base ably by slotting the end of the base plate, as

at 4, and bending the extreme end of the base plate rearwardly in a diagonal or ob lique direction to form a support on which the detached check designated X? (Figure 2) may rest, and a notching member which is movable relatively to the platen 3 and embodies a notching tongue to cooperate with the detached check to be notched. Preferably and as shown, the member 5 comwise direction and in a plane parallel to the plane of the base plate. The lever is provided at its free end or extremity with a notching tongue 7 which is pointed and has relatively sharp side edges, and this tongue overlies the platen 3 so that pivotal movement of the lever 5 about its pivot 6 will cause the notching tongue to move'toward and from the platen 3, owing to the move ment of the lever 5 in a plane parallel to the base plate and'the oblique position of the platen 3 relatively to the plane of movement of the lever. The part of the lever 5 adjacent to the notching tongue 7 extends through the slot 4 which is formed between the platen 3 and the body of the base plate and the lever is provided with means to engage the edge of a check inserted beneath the notching tongue and to thus gage the depth of its insertion. Preferably and as shown, a pair'of lugs 8 and 9 located respectively on opposite sides of the notching tongue 7 are provided for this purpose, these lugs acting as stops for the edge of a check inserted beneath the notchingtongue 7 and thus gaging the .extent towhich the. notching tongue 7: overlaps the'edge of the check to be notched The notchingoperation is performed by first detaching a check from its stub then inserting the edge of the check bearing the desired amount indicating numeral beneath the notching tongue 7 at the point along the edge of the check, which bears the selected-amount indicating numeral or other designating character, in such manner that this edge of the detached check bears against the lugs 8 and 9 and the portion of the check to be notchedis between the base and the platen, then pressing the notching tongue against the check and thus clamping it immovably between the notching tongue and the platen 3 and finally by pulling the edge of the check opposite to s the edge engaged by the notching tongue forwardly and in a lateral direction, thus causing the point of the notching tongue to pierce the check and the side edges of the notching tongueto cut a notch in the check. The gripping of the check during this operation between the notching tongue and the platen 3 effectually prevents displacement of the check and hence notching of the check at the desired point is insured. Preferably, the notching tongue 7 is separated from the platen 3 to facilitate insertion of a detached check, a spring 10 being provided for this purpose in the present instance, and the movement of the lever 5 in a direction to space the notching tongue 7 from the platen 8 is preferably limited by a stop 11 which is preferably formed by bending down a corner of the base plate so that it lies in the path of movement of the lever 5. To facilitate manipulation of the notching tongue, a part of the lever 5 preferably extends beyond the adjacent side edge of the base plate 1 and is bent downwardly to form a fingerpiece 12 which is located in a convenient position to receive pressure by the thumb or a finger, the pressure so applied forcing the notching tongue into gripping engagement with the edge of the check on the platen 3.

The lever 5 may be located on either side of the base plate. Figures 1 to 4 inclusive show this lever on one side of the base plate and Figure 6 shows a reverse arrangement in which the lever 5 is located on the opposite side of the base plate. The construc tion and mode of operation is the same in both instances. Also, the notching device can be otherwise located than is shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive. For example, Figure 7 shows the notching device on an extension 1 which projects beyond the pad holder2, but in this instance also the construction and mode of operation of the notching device is the same as in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive.

The notching device provided by the present invention is relatively simple in construction and it enables the detached check to be easily and quickly inserted in the correct position beneaththe notching tongue, particularly as the check and notching tongue, are visible to the operator. By gripping the check between the notching tongue and the platen, displacement of the check incidental to or during the, notching operation is prevented, and hence accurate notching or marking of the check at the point selected is insured. The edgewise relation of the operating lever to the direction in which the pressure is applied to clamp or grip the check enables a firm hold to be produced by the notching tongue on the check without bending or otherwise deforming the lever.

I claim as my invention 1. A check notching device comprising a support having a platen formed thereon, and a cooperative notching member pivotally connected to the support to swing edgewise on one side thereof and having 'a notching tongue arranged to overlie the platen on the opposite side of the support and movable toward and from said platen during said swinging movement of the member.

2. A check notching device comprising a support having a platen formed thereon,

- and a cooperative notching member pivoted to the support to swing in a plane oblique to the platen and carrying a notching tongue movable toward and from the platen.

3. A check notching device comprising a substantially flat support havihg a platen lying in a plane oblique to the plane of the support, and a notching member pivotally mounted at one side of the supportto swing in a plane substantially parallel to the plane thereof, said member carrying a notching tongue movable toward and from said platen incident to'the swinging movements of said member.

4. A check notching device comprising a base plate having a portion thereof bent obliquely to its plane and separated therefrom by a slot, and a notching member pivotally connected to said plate to swing edgewise thereof and carrying a notching tongue which projects through said slot and cooperates with said obliquely bent portion of the plate.

5. A check notching device comprising a base plate having a ortion thereof partially separated there rom by a slot and ing member pivotally mounted on one side of the plate to swing edgewise in substantial parallelism with the plate and having a portion extending through said slot to the other side of the plate and carrying a notching tongue to cooperate with saidplaten, said member also oarryingmeans for gaging the depthto which a check is inserted between the notching tongue and the platen.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. WILLIAM H. McFALL. Witnesses: I

J AMES A. FELLOWS, S. A. BELSITO. 

